This bird bit off more than it can chew as it struggles to eat a bloated toad. In an attempt to protect itself the toad quickly inhaled air and inflated to twice its size when it was grabbed by the wading bird, making it impossible to swallow.

Once the toad was dead it remained inflated, meaning the hamerkop had to use its sharp beak to remove the air from the toad until it had deflated sufficiently to eat. Photographer Andreas Hemb captured the peculiar struggle while he was taking pictures at Zimanga Private Game Reserve in Kwa Zulu Natal, South Africa. SEE OUR COPY FOR DETAILS.